VL - Issue 42 - January 2022

PHOTO BY HALEY MANNING PHOTOGRAPHY
they often led me to uncomfortable places.
It never failed, though, that when I stepped
out in obedience, God always had gifts and
treasures waiting for me.
My friend, Betty, dove headlong into crisis
response, visiting devastated areas and
searching for people in need. I often went
with her. One day, Betty asked me to go
alone to a remote area and check on a lady
named Rachel. I was nervous because I had
long-term by the flood. I decided to use my
administrative skills to become an advocate
for mental health and medical needs.
I’m sure people were tired of all my
“flood talk,” but I was so burdened for those
still hurting in the community. I couldn’t
look the other way—they needed help. How
could I stop serving them? God calls us to
help those in need. Proverbs 3:27 says, “Do
not withhold good from those to whom it
to retire, but that wasn’t God’s plan for us.
(Now that I think about it, I haven’t found
a retirement provision from serving the
Lord anywhere in the Bible.) We took the
positions.
It’s not an easy task to get people onboard
with helping those in prison. It’s not
popular. But when has God ever called us
to do things that are popular? Or comfortable?
Or easy, for that matter? He doesn’t.
heard this lady was a bit eccentric, but I
is due, when it is in your power to act.”
But what He does do is call us to plac-
decided to trust Betty’s judgment and went.
Serving the flood victims was a privilege.
es and people that will change us forever,
I’ll never forget that first encounter. Ra-
Years later, God showed me another
for the better. As we do right, seek jus-
chel had very little by the world’s standards
place to serve—prison. This happened af-
tice, and defend the oppressed (Isaiah
even before the flood. Yet, she talked about
ter I met my husband, Ron, who was very
1:17), God blesses us in unexpected ways
the Lord the whole time we were together.
involved with Kairos ministry, a national
(Ephesians 3:20).
She had so much joy. When I left, she fol-
prison outreach. (See his story on page 18.)
If you’ve never experienced the joy of
lowed me outside and yelled, “I love you.”
His love for the incarcerated was conta-
serving others, ask God to open your eyes
Her words pierced my heart. She had
gious and soon, my heart was drawn to
to opportunities. Let your heart be willing
no idea how badly I needed to hear those
help relieve the suffering of inmates too.
to serve. Then, out of your love for God and
words nor how much I needed to be loved.
Ron and I became very active with a pris-
His people, step into them. I promise you,
But God did, and He used Rachel to bless
on reform agency called NC-CURE, but in
you’ll never regret it.
me. Today, 20 years later, Rachel and I
2020, the founder of NC-CURE moved out
are still great buddies. I thank God for her
friendship.
As often happens after a natural disaster,
relief support eventually left our area. But
there were still so many people impacted
of state. The organization, on the verge
of dissolution, asked me to become the
execu tive director and asked Ron to become
the chairman of the board.
Ron and I had thought we were ready
SANDRA HARDEE and her husband, Ron, lead
NC-CURE (NC Citizens United for Restorative
Effectiveness), a not-for-profit organization that
fights for the rights of the incarcerated and raises
awareness of injustices in the NC prison system. To
learn more, visit nccure.org.
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